The internet is filled with things. Here is one of them.
Lebenskünstler2024 Oct 25
A Flickr contact of mine has his job description listed as Lebenskünstler which my extremely rudimentary German was enough that I saw "life" and "art" in there, but could make no more sense of the word. Internet translation automata rendered it in English as bon vivant. Which... believe it or not, is actually French, not English. And is also a phrase I cannot define. M-W to the rescue:
In French, the phrase literally means “good liver.” ... a bon vivant is one who lives well. English speakers have used bon vivant since the late 17th century to refer specifically to those who subscribe to a particular kind of good living—one that involves lots of social engagements and the enjoyment of fancy food and drink.
But I also found the linked blog post, which disagrees with that translation of Lebenskünstler. It is an article specifically about the inherent difficulty in translating Lebenskünstler into English, quoting the juicy bit here:
A Lebenskünstler is a person that manages to deal with problems in life in a positive and artful way. They have mastered the Lebenskunst (art of living). This is a very philosophical term, which was already developed in Roman times (ars vivendi in Latin). But in short, it means that by self-awareness and self-reflection, you manage to understand yourself and manage with any and every situation in life.
Is there no English word for that? The author suggests hedonism, a word coming from the Greek word for pleasure, but which now fully means "self-indulgent." Hedonism carries too much negative connotation for me to accept it as a translation for Lebenskünstler.
We strike gold in the article's comments, though, where someone attempts the word Pollyanna. Yet another word I don't know the meaning of. Resorting once again to M-W, a Pollyanna is "a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything." This word comes from the title character of a 1913 children's book. From Wikipedia:
Pollyanna's philosophy of life centers on what she calls "The Glad Game", an optimistic and positive attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation, no matter how bleak it may be.
Curiously, the dictionary always capitalizes Pollyanna but Wikipedia does not. A mark of this word's recent entry into our language, perhaps.
This comment is meandering enough already, but I feel compelled to also throw into the mix the word epicurean, not as a translation of lebenskünstler, but as a properly English alternative to bon vivant. Coming from the philosophy of Epicurus, the word has drifted over the years (and lost its capitalization) to now have the definition: "one with sensitive and discriminating tastes especially in food or wine."
The word epicure is currently associated with indulging the appetite, but that is a long way from the teachings of the man to whom we owe the word. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus taught a philosophy of simple pleasure, friendship, and a secluded life. He believed in the pursuit of pleasure, but pleasure for him equated with tranquility and freedom from pain—not the indulgence of the senses. However, detractors of Epicurus in his own time and later reduced his notions of pleasure to material and sensual gratification. When epicure entered English in the 16th century, the philosophy of Epicurus had been trivialized, and so the word became synonymous with “hedonist.” Later use carried the notion of refinement of palate that we see in the word today.
Relating all this above language trivia will be sure to make you an instant hit at parties and soirées. Indulge me one last excerpt:
As is typical for words that have been borrowed from modern French, soiree in English signifies the fancy version of a simple “party”: an evening event that is formal or refined in some way.
A Flickr contact of mine has his job description listed as Lebenskünstler which my extremely rudimentary German was enough that I saw "life" and "art" in there, but could make no more sense of the word. Internet translation automata rendered it in English as bon vivant. Which... believe it or not, is actually French, not English. And is also a phrase I cannot define. M-W to the rescue: But I also found the linked blog post, which disagrees with that translation of Lebenskünstler. It is an article specifically about the inherent difficulty in translating Lebenskünstler into English, quoting the juicy bit here: Is there no English word for that? The author suggests hedonism, a word coming from the Greek word for pleasure, but which now fully means "self-indulgent." Hedonism carries too much negative connotation for me to accept it as a translation for Lebenskünstler.
We strike gold in the article's comments, though, where someone attempts the word Pollyanna. Yet another word I don't know the meaning of. Resorting once again to M-W, a Pollyanna is "a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything." This word comes from the title character of a 1913 children's book. From Wikipedia: Curiously, the dictionary always capitalizes Pollyanna but Wikipedia does not. A mark of this word's recent entry into our language, perhaps.
This comment is meandering enough already, but I feel compelled to also throw into the mix the word epicurean, not as a translation of lebenskünstler, but as a properly English alternative to bon vivant. Coming from the philosophy of Epicurus, the word has drifted over the years (and lost its capitalization) to now have the definition: "one with sensitive and discriminating tastes especially in food or wine." Relating all this above language trivia will be sure to make you an instant hit at parties and soirées. Indulge me one last excerpt: